Erlang virtual machine – BEAM – hosts an increasing number of languages. Reia, a Python/Ruby like scripting language and Lisp Flavoured Erlang have recently been released. Debasish Ghosh reflects on this trend while other authors try to outline other possible language variants inspired by Ruby or Haskell.

Ruby makes OO programming easy, enjoyable and intuitive [...] but its concurrency model is out of the dark ages" [...]

Erlang makes concurrency easy and natural, but its syntax is poor, static, and high on ceremony

[...] if Ruby can run on top of the Java Virtual Machine and take advantage of all the power of that environment while still being an expressive and efficient language, why not have a modified version of ruby on top of BEAM, the Erlang virtual machine.

While the author outlines how a Ruby like language on top of Erlang could look like, commentators highlight possible challenges and necessary precautions and point out to the existing initiatives of implementing languages on BEAM, such as Reia (a Python/Ruby like language) and LFE (Lisp Flavoured Erlang).

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